Credit-system cabinet.



J. A. KIDWELL.

CREDIT SYSTEM CABINET- APPLxcATIoN FILED ocT. 23. 1915.

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J. A.-K|DWELL.

CREDIT SYSTEM CABINET.

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Patented oct. 15, 1918.'

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CREDIT SYSTEM CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23, 1915.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

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amas ARTHUR KIDWELL, or CLEVELAND, oHro.

@EDIT-SYSTEM CABINET.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

Application led October 23, 1915. Serial No. 57,432.

skilled in the art to whichit appertains .to

make and `use the same.

The invention has reference to practical and efficient forms of improvements in credit system cabinets for the business of retail merchants, and the objects are primarily to provide means for enabling the operator to make change quickly and at the same time to keep a correct record of all credit transactions, in conjunction with a check credit system of which the machine is a part.

In this system metal disks or checks are employed `in place of coins and the cabinet includes a convenient means for storage and distribution of thev checks which when loaned to a credit customer represent a money value in units and fractions thereof.

The system comprises in itself a series of metal checks of the various ldenominations which are loaned -to a customer in given amounts in proportion 'to his ascertained kcredit limit, for which a receipt or promissory note is taken from the customer as an evidence of debt, and these checks comprise tokens of value and are exchanged .by the customer for merchandise in proportion to their face value, and a record of daily sales is automatically kept by means of acounting device in the machine, and the notes and receipts are filed in a suitable loose leaf ledger provided for thepurpose and are preferably kept in a drawer ofthe cabinet.

By this means a greatv saving in time and labor of bookkeeping is eected for the merchant and better service is afforded the custemer. y

The invention further comprises the cornbination and arrangement of parts and construction of details hereinafter described,

shown in the accompanyin f drawings and specifically pointed out in t eclaims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cabinet;v Fig. 2y is a plan view of the same; Fig. 2'L is a view of the locking plate, and Fig. 2h4 of vthe lock; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the cabinet taken on the center line 3-3 Fig. 2 of one of the check holding tubes or magazines; Fig. 4 is a front view thereof ywith the front of the casing and drawer for storing checks, and accessories removed; Fig. 5 isa partial rear view of the cabinet showing the check releasing levers, and locking plate for the check removing slides; Fig.

-6 is a horizontal section on line 6-6 Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section showing the inner face of one end of the casing 'of the cabinet, and showing the shaft and cranks which operate the locking plates, and the shaft which operates the bell; Fig. 8 is a similar view of the inner face of the other end showing the bell sounding mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a-seCt-ional view showing one of a second series of counting devices. Fig. 1() is a similar view showing one of a third series of counting devices.

In. these views 1 is a casing which incloses the operating parts of the cabinet; 2 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, are tubularL reservoirs which contain checks of selected value as for $1.00, 50c, 25g/b, 10c, 5c and 1c.

These are mounted upon a platform 3, horizontally placed in the casing and are supported at the upper end by means of the horizontal plate l and vertical rods 5, 5. The checks are entered through graded slots Q in the top of the casing.

Underneath each check receptacle are shown two slides upper and lower 6 and 7 respectively. The upper one of these slides 6 is provided with a passage 8 which is normally open 4to permit the circular checks 9 stored in the receptacle to drop upon the lower slide 7 one at a time.

The first operation of the -machine is to register the sale. This is accomplished by tirstpushing upon the selected counting lever or key L. lSee Figs. 3 and 9 which operates the shaft L of a counting or indicating device Z in Figs. 3 and il, by means of a lug b and an arm b', and rotates the same to show that a sale equaling the amount indicated on the key has been made.

will fall through the opening 15 and drop upon the chute 16 and slide through the opening 17 in the wall of the case and fall upon the platform 18, preferably a marble slab arranged to receive it. A spring 19 returns the slide and lever to their rstposition.

In this manner selected checks can be delivered one at a time from any one of the receptacles desired.

When it is desired to discharge all of the circular checks at one time from any selected receptacle, to enable the operator to count the checks remaining in the machine, a corresponding key 20 is pushed inward and moves the lower slide 7 until the openings in the receptacle, upper slide and lower slide, correspond, and are held in this posi- `tion until all the checks in theY corresponding 'receptacle fall into the chute at once.

A spring 21 returns the slide and key to their original position.`

The use of the upper slide is for the purpose of releasing one check from the tube `to make change.

For instance, the sale amounts to 25 cents and a dollar check is offered in payment. The 25 cent registering key is first pressed, then the dollar check is deposited'in the dollar tube of the cabinet and a 50 cent check and a 25 cent check are severally withdrawn from the corresponding tubes, and this is instantly accomplished by pressing the two keys operating the 50 and 25 cent slides at one simultaneously downward movement. This completes the entire transaction. The change in the checks withdrawn is returned to the customer, to spend at a later date.

This operation ismuch more quickly performed than can be accomplished by vany writing or accounting credit system in use by retail merchants. Y

A bell B is operated at the time that registration is made by means of a separate finger B upon the shaft L2, which in turn depresses the tilting bar B2 pivoted at B3, upon a platform B5 on the hammer and actuates the hammer H pivoted at H to strike upon the bell.

A spring S returns the bar B2 and a spring S returns the linger B. The tilting movement provided for the bar B2 permits the return of the finger B (see Fig. 8). A spring B4 returns the hammer'H.

The tilting movement provided for the bar b2 permits the return of the finger b'. See Fig. 8.

A spring arm L4 operatively connects the arms b and C so that the bell can be sounded by means of the key L.

The bell can also be sounded by means of the shaft L2, cranks C and D, bar E and rods F, F, so that every key lever 10 will operate the bell whenever the subtracting key is operated, since the bar E is engaged by every key 1() when depressed.

Means are shown for preventing the movements of both upper and lower slides simultaneously at any time to prevent any one but the approved operator from tampering with the machine.

On the front of the cabinet is shown a plate P having vertical slots P', P, in which the subtracting levers move up and down. At the upper end of each slot at the left side i shown a horizontal extension P2 of the s ot.

This plate is moved longitudinally to en- Ysliding plate R which alternately moves across the ends of the lower slides andV releases the same, thus affording means for preventing movement of the dumping vor lower slide.

In Fig. 9 a second series of counters L', L1 is shown which is one of a series operativel connected with the lever key 10 and bar by means of the arm 20 and rod F and arm C. By means of this second series a record of the amount of checks given out as change can be kept, whereas the counting series operated bythe keys L keep the record of the amount of daily sales only.

A third series of counters L is shown in Fig. 10 to permit the registering of each check as entered.

This completes the counting system and announces to the operator,

1st'. The complete record of the total amount of checks placed in the register. This is automatically caused by the insertion of the coins.

2nd. The amount of checks subtracted or paid out and is automatically registered when the subtracting` key 10 withdraws a check from the receptacle,

3rd. The amount of daily sales. This is indicated by'a separate key L.r

At T is shown a shaft parallel with the shaft La and provided with spur gears T', T which by pushing in the shaft can be made to engage with corresponding gears T2, T3 on the shaft L2 to operate all the counters Z to return them simultaneously to zero. By pulling outthis shaft the gears can be disconnected.

A slide Q underneath slots Q in the upper side of the cabinet can be used to delay and engages a pin or projection N t the entrance of the checks into the receptacles, so that the operator can look again and see if the right check is placed in the right receptacle.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

l. In a credit system cabinet, in combination, a casing a series of vertical check receiving receptacles therein, upper and lower slides underneath each receptacle, the upper slide having a check receiving opening normally registering with said check receptacle and the lower slide having a similar opening normally spaced from the opening in the upper slide, a platform upon which said slides rest, said platform having an opening beneath each receptacle and beneath the opening in the lower slide, means for separately operating each slide, and means for simultaneously locking said slides from movement.

2. In a credit system cabinet, a series of vertical receptacles for selected credit checks, an upper slide beneath each receptacle provided with a check receivingopening nor mally registering with its respective receptacle, a lower slide beneath said upper slide, and provided with a check discharging opening normally spaced from the opening in the lower slide, a casing inclosing said receptacles, a support in said casing for said slides, said support having a discharge opening, a horizontally moving key for operating one of ythe slides, and a vertically movable key and connecting mechanism for operating the other slide, a sliding plate adapt# ed to intercept the movements of the slidel operated by the horizontally moving key and lock the same, and a sliding plate adapted to lock the vertically movable key from movement.

3. In a credit system cabinet, a series of vertical receptacles for selected credit checks,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each,

an upper slide beneath each receptacle provided with a check receiving opening normally registering with its respective receptacle, a lower slide beneath said upper slide, and provided with a check discharging opening normally spaced from the opening in the lower slide, a casing inclosing said receptacles, a support in said casing for said slides, said support having a discharge open ing, a horizontally moving key for operating one of the slides, and a vertically movable key and connecting mechanism for operating the other Slide, a sliding plate adapted to intercept the movements of the slide operated by the horizontally moving key and lock the same, and a sliding plate adapted to lock the vertically movable key from movement, and means for simultaneously operating said plates to lock both of said slides.

4. In a cabinet, ya series of vertical check receptacles open at the bottom, an upper slide beneath each receptacle, said upper slide provided with an opening normally coinciding with the opening in its respective receptacle, a second slide beneath the upper slide and having an opening spaced from the opening in said upper slide, an apertured support for the slides, a casing in which said receptacles and support are mounted, a longitudinally slidable locking pla-te for the upper slide, a longitudinally movable locking plate for the lower slide, and a shaft mounted in said casing, operatively connected with both of said slidable plates, and a bolt slidable in said casing` and adapted to operate one of said locking plates and thereby said shaft and the other plate.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand this S day of October, 1915.

JAMES ARTHUR KIDVELL. In presence ofy WM. M. MONROE, RALPH W. JEREMIAH.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

